Holland Bloorview: Creating Worlds of Possibilities for Kids with Disabilities

09.05.2016

The Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is a world-class organization and global leader in applied research, teaching and learning, and client- and family-centred care.
They are one of six participating charities at Gift the Code and they’ll be presenting 3 different tech challenges to participants. Each week, we’ll be introducing you to another
participating charity and we’ll share the challenges that they’re facing and the problems they’re hoping to solve at the hackathon.
Please click here to find resources related to the tech challenges faced by Holland Bloorview.

The Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

As Canada’s leading pediatric rehabilitation teaching hospital, the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is dedicated to being at the forefront of clinical care, research and education.
Their specialized services help children and youth live life to the fullest. During Gift the Code, participants will be assigned to work on solving Holland Bloorview’s tech challenges and
will have the unique opportunity to share their time and skills with this long-standing and wonderful organization.

The original idea for the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital – a facility dedicated solely to the care of children with chronic illness and physical disability – was conceived over tea,
almost 120 years ago by a group of 22 women. Less than a year following their discussion, the “Home for Incurable Children” opened its doors to considerable demand. Over the following decades,
as it progressively grew to meet the needs of the community, a name was added that would more accurately represent the spirit of the facility, “The House of Happiness.”

A lot has changed since then, including the name, but the spirit hasn’t. At the core of the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is a shared spirit of quiet determination and compassion,
generosity and community. It’s Canada’s largest rehabilitation hospital focused on improving the lives of kids with disabilities, and a global leader in applied research, teaching and learning, as
well as client- and family-centred care. Their vision is nothing less than creating “a world of possibility” for kids with disability.

Gift the Code participants’ contributions will have a positive impact on Holland Bloorview’s tech and digital ability to provide the already fantastic services offered to its patients.
Over the course of the hackathon, they’ll develop solutions that:

Help Holland Bloorview collect more accurate and relevant feedback from the children they work with.

Help the hospital’s therapists and caregivers track patients’ understanding of subjects and/or issues related to their care program.

By joining Gift the Code, you can help spread happiness to the kids that come through the doors of the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, use its services, join its programs and
benefit from its research and care. Use your creativity and problem-solving skills to help kids with disability lead fulfilling lives!

Don’t forget to check back next Monday for a new post about one of the charities participating at Gift the Code. It will include a brief description of the charity and information about the
challenges they’ll be bringing forward at Gift the Code!